Today is the anniversary of Mussolini's fall from power in 1943. In Emilia-Romagna it is a custom for people to meet up & eat 'pastasciutta antifascista' in memory of the Cervi family, who instigated this tradition. Read the tragic story of this extraordinary family in the thread linked below.

Pastasciutta antifascista - Wikipedia

it.wikipedia.org

Nicholas Whithorn@nickwhithorn.bsky.social · 2y ago

At dawn on 28 December 1943, the 7 Cervi brothers, Gelindo (42), Antenore (37), Aldo (34), Ferdinando (32), Agostino (27), Ovidio (25) & Ettore (22), are executed by an Italian fascist firing squad in Reggio Emilia for their partisan activities [Thread] >> 1

Excellent speech, informed by an excellent book. Recommended for current and future European policy-makers.

Dave Keating@davekeating.substack.com · last mo.

My speech to the @eesc.bsky.social in Bulgaria this week on how to liberate Europe from its dependence. youtu.be/fsKonuKaStE?...

Historically controversial statement. The last successful military invasion of England was done by the Dutch, centuries later.

AFP News Agency@en.afp.com · last mo.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇫🇷 The 1,000-year-old Bayeux Tapestry depicting the last successful military invasion of England will arrive in London in the coming days by dead of night and under "police protection", the UK envoy helping to coordinate the historic transfer told AFP. ➡️ u.afp.com/SKBU

Overturn this! 😎

"We don't need an American dream. We have our own European dream." Cross-party MEPs are escalating the push for a fully federal European Union and a unified European Army. This network is expanding across national parliaments to ramp up political pressure across the continent.

Very interesting analysis.

Géopolitique@geopolitique.bsky.social · last mo.

Économie / l'Union européenne rattrape son retard de productivité sur les États-Unis

Solidarity with the journalists doing their job. Belgian, Brussels, and European authorities have a lot of explanations to do.

Jacob Öberg@profjacob.bsky.social · last mo.

🚨🚨Breaking: The #US ambassador in #Brussels had Belgian police stop reporting by @eurcorrespond.bsky.social on the Freedom 250” celebration – paid by private companies, organised by the three US embassies in Brussels, marking the 250th anniversary of the US. europeancorrespondent.com/en/r/the-us-...

For the UK to ever rejoin the EU, they must develop a clear appreciation of what they are joining: a federal project. Thatcher was right about that. If the UK thinks there is some Geoffrey Howe “third way” (the notion EU is just econ project) - Brexit will just be repeated.

Hear hear!!

Dave Keating@davekeating.substack.com · 2mo ago

Again, I make a PSA plea to my fellow journalists: please stop describing the EU as a 'bloc'! Every time you want to use the word, replace it with 'union'. Because that's what it is. The clue is in the name. davekeating.substack.com/p/the-eu-is-...

As long as this is the framing, the Uk will not only never join the Union, but relationship with EU will actually sour even more. 1) No UK government can get the UK back into SM or any other EU institutions/initiatives. It’s not in their power. Only EU will decide depending on its interests. 2)..

As the ugly perennial #MFF budget fight between Northern vs Southern & Eastern PMs unfolds at #EUCO 🇪🇺summit, keep in mind the EU operates on a shoestring budget relative to its GDP compared to national capitals. Federations: 🇪🇺: 1% of GDP 🇩🇪: 12% 🇺🇸: 24% Unitary states: 🇬🇧: 46% 🇫🇷: 57%

The frame Europe is “starting“ a trade war with China is strange. China has been waging trade and industrial policy battle against Europe, sector after sector. EU diplos asked for change nicely for years. Now the EU wants to do something about it and it’s the aggressor? Aha.

1/6 It's harder than ever to find good news in China's data release today. The economy continues to be structurally locked into increasing production at the expense of consumption, even though China suffers from many years of growing excess capacity. english.news.cn/20260616/dbe...

How should Europe respond to the economic & geopolitical risks posed by China? Access to the EU's single market is critical for Beijing. Europe should use that leverage to secure concrete concessions, argue @ruehlig.bsky.social & @aligarciaherrero.bsky.social. ow.ly/1p0650Yq7EC

China - A fragile power? How Europe can use its economic leverage over Beijing

China is powerful - but increasingly fragile. Beijing's economic vulnerabilities create both risks and leverage for Europe. How the EU can use its economic strengths to pursue a strategy of leverage-b...

iss.europa.eu

The real story behind what happened last week with that EEAS paper leak. europemorningpost.substack.com/p/kallasvon-...

A very smart analyst, and a report that could have a lot of potential. Yet, like the rest of the discussion in the UK, it is inescapably completely anglo-centric. By perpetuating some of the same cardinal errors that unfortunately are so embedded in the UK (mis)understanding of the Union. 1/n

Anand Menon@anandmenon.bsky.social · 2mo ago

ROLL UP, ROLL UP!!!!! There's a brand new report from @ukandeu.bsky.social Marking 10 years since the referendum, it outlines what the impact of Brexit has been, and what the choices for the future look like media.ukandeu.ac.uk/wp-content/u... 1/11

The problem here is that France wants a strong common EU foreign policy "strategic autonomy" AND total national control of foreign policy. The only way to make EU foreign policy strong and coherent is for states to give up control. Europe needs to make the trade: sovereignty for power.

Henry Foy@henryjfoy.ft.com · 2mo ago

In an all-hands email sent to EEAS staff this afternoon and seen by the FT, Kallas referenced our reporting & said: "I welcome this debate." "We also all know that the system could work better and without less duplication here in Brussels," Kallas wrote Full scoop here: as.ft.com/r/68b3a69d-6...

Must read for economists.

Michael Pettis@michaelpettis.bsky.social · 2mo ago

1/6 Financial Times: "A company-level OECD analysis of government subsidies across 15 key industrial sectors found that nearly 60 per cent of Chinese firms’ global market share gains since 2005 could be attributed to subsidies." www.ft.com/content/885c...

Today the Italian Republic is 80 years old. It's survived Piazza Fontana, Borghese Coup, Italicus, via Fani, Ustica, Bologna, Rapido 904, Red Brigades, NAR, P2, Gelli, Gladio, Tangentopoli, Capaci, via D'Amelio, Riina, Bossi, Berlusconi & Dell'Utri, to mention but a few. Scarred but still standing.

Nicholas Whithorn@nickwhithorn.bsky.social · last yr.

On 2nd & 3rd June 1946, a referendum is held in Italy to decide the form of government following the end of World War II and the fall of the fascist régime. Electors are asked to choose between maintaining the monarchy or establishing a republic. Women vote for the first time [Thread] >> 1

🇺🇦🙏 2,038 Ukrainian children were missing as of April 2026. Russian forces abduct children, separate them from their families at “filtration” points during evacuation from occupied territories, and subject them to human trafficking. Read more 👀 theukrainianreview.info/the-disappea...

The Disappearance of Ukrainian Children During the War: How the Search Works and Where Families Can Turn for Help

According to official data from Ukraine’s Ombudsman, 2,038 Ukrainian children were missing as of April 2026. During the Russian-Ukrainian war, Russian forces

theukrainianreview.info

Okay. Makes sense. Now press Germany/Nordics/Visegrad/Balts on treaty reform. The current problem with the enlargement discussion is that it is all about what Ukraine needs to do… and not what Europe needs to do. But the EU ain’t enlarging unless there is treaty reform - and an end to unanimity.

Euractiv@euractiv.com · 3mo ago

Ukraine’s Zelenskyy insists on full EU membership, rebuffs Merz

Now 34 years. I will continue to post the story of Giovanni Falcone because even if just one person who didn't know it reads it, learns about this extraordinary man, and maybe shares it with others, the world will be a slightly better place.

Nicholas Whithorn@nickwhithorn.bsky.social · last yr.

33 years ago, on 23rd May 1992, Giovanni Falcone is assassinated, along with Francesca Morvillo, Vito Schifani, Rocco Dicillo and Antonio Montinaro. This thread tells the story of how he is undermined, isolated and abandoned to his destiny by the state he so loyally serves >> 1

This lingers on disrespect.

Jorge Liboreiro@jorgeliboreiro.bsky.social · 3mo ago

The UK government pitched the creation of a single market for goods with the EU as the cornerstone of the renewed partnership, @theguardian.com reports. The idea, which excluded free movement of people, was rejected by Brussels.

Emphasis on Article 42.7

Jorge Liboreiro@jorgeliboreiro.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Friedrich Merz has proposed to grant "associate EU membership" to Ukraine. It would include: - Participation in EU institutions without voting rights - Step-by-step access to EU-funded programmes - Mutual assistance under Article 42.7 - Snap-back mechanism in case of backsliding Full story.

Europe should not appoint a putin negotiating team. It should appoint a European army chief of staff tasked with creating a European force.

The case for having the UK in the Union has not been made in the UK, and even less so in Europe. The UK membership would entail trade offs and costs for the EU and MS. The UK seems unable to acknowledge them and make a coherent proposal appealing to Europe to counterbalance these costs. 1/

Alexander Clarkson@aphclarkson.bsky.social · 3mo ago

I'm baffled at the vehemence with which some academic and analyst colleagues claim that the UK would never rejoin the EU in their lifetimes For the last decade we have seen crazy shit happen on a monthly basis that was declared impossible 20 years ago, yet Rejoin is not worth contemplating? Really?

Any piece referring to the EU as a “bloc” is written by someone who doesn’t have the competence to write about the EU. Moreover these pieces risk being profoundly misleading to the average British electorate. Short thread. 1/

Simon Usherwood@simonusherwood.bsky.social · 3mo ago

News, to British politicians at least www.theguardian.com/world/2026/m...

Too much weight is given to the idea of “negotiations” taking place during accession processes. The UK, if it ever so chooses, can apply to join the Union and the entirety of the acquis as well as Maastricht conditions are a prerequisite to even contemplate the start of the accession process. 1/2

JWexTheSpa@jwsidders.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Rejoin as a long-term Labour objective is fine. But rejoin as an immediate prospect is insane and makes no sense. We can't just rejoin, we have to negotiate it and negotiations will not begin until there is clear evidence for the EU that the UK is serious. No such evidence currently exists.

Hungary’s parliament sings “Ode to Joy” — the anthem of Europe — after Péter Magyar is sworn in as prime minister. Hungary is once again a proud member of the European Union.

Four-time Paralympic gold-medallist and former Formula One driver Alex Zanardi has died aged 59

Former Formula 1 driver Zanardi dies aged 59

Four-time Paralympic gold-medallist and former Formula One driver Alex Zanardi has died aged 59.

rte.ie